Machine for treating fibrous plants.



R. R. ROBERTS.

MACHINE FOR TREATING FIBBOUS PLAHTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1913.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

E. E. ROBERTS.

MACHINE FOR TEEATIEG FIBEOUS PLANTS.

APPLIGA'IIOIT FILED MAY 24, 1913.

Patented 1113.1. 16, 1915. 4 SHEETS-SHEET a. I

R. R. ROBERTS.

MACHINE FOR TREATING FIBROUS PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1913. lfll j Patented Mar.l6,1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT R. ROBERTS OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOB TO THE INTERCONTINENTAL FIBER & PAPER COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. is, 1915.

7 Application and May 24, 1913. Serial No. 939,017.

To all whom itmay concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. Rosters, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Treating Fibrous Plants; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to machines for treating fibrous plants, such as flax, hemp, ramie, jute, milkweed and the like whose fibers are susceptibleof being used in commerce, has for its object the de-shiving and decorticating of such plants preparatory to chemical treatment of the fiber.

The invention consists in certain improvements which will be fully disclosed in the following specification and claims.

In the acconipanying drawings, which form part of this specification:-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a. vertical transverse section partly .in elevation, on line 2-2, Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3

is a like view on line 3-3 Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views of one pair of rolls in each bank of rolls, and Fig. 7 is a like detail view of the first roll of the second bank of rolls. Figs. 8, Qand 10 respectively are exaggerated views of Figs.

4, 5 and 6.

Reference being had to the drawings and the designating characters thereon, the numeral 1 indicates the first bank of rolls in a series, 2 the second bank and 3 the third bank of rolls. Each bank comprises three pairs of rolls, upper and lower, suitably mounted on frames 4, 5 and 6 in conventional journal bearings 7.

On each end of the rolls are intermeshing master gear-wheels 8, driven by pinions 9, are propelled by any suitabl-emotor, such as'lO connected to the series of gear wheels by pin-ions 11 and 12, or the rolis may be driven by any approved driving mechanism from any preferred source of power.

For the purpose of illustration, each bank of rolls is shown provided with its own electric motor 10, so that each bank can be operated separately, but it is obvious that all the rolls in the three banks of rolls may be, operated synchronously from one source of power.

13 indicates a feed apron at the receiving end of the first bank of rolls, and between each pair of rolls throughout the three banks are aprons 14, and between each adjacent bank of rolls is an apron 15, supported on lugs 16 on the frames, either or both of which aprons may be removed and the decorticated fiber allowed to bedropped, provided it has been thoroughly decorticated. in its passage through one or twopt the banks of rolls.

17 indicates the lower roll and 18 the upper roll of each pair of rolls in the several banks of rolls; the lower roll 17 of each pair is provided with peripheral longitudinal and approximately uilateral grooves 19 throughout its circum erence, in which the side Walls of the grooves are approximately at right angles to the flat bottom of the grooves as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, and the top roll 18 of each "pair of rolls is provided with peripheral longitudinal and approximately equilateral bars 20 throughout its circumference. in'which the sides of the bars are in parallel planes and approximately at right angles to the faces 21 of said bars, and said bars are of less width and depth than the grooves. 19 to afiord a substantial clearance space 22 on the sides and bottom of the grooves to allow the fiber -23 to pass through and be deshived or decorticated without brwking the fiber, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 1 0, and to facilitate the breaking of the woody covering of the stalks, the upper ends 24 of the walls of the grooves 19 and the outer ends 25 of thesides of the bars 20 are preferably cut at an angle to the wall of the grooves and the sides of the bars to form fiat breaking surfaces as shown.

The grooves and the bars are graduated, that is to say the grooves in the lower rolls of bank 4. are preferably about three eighths (3/8) of an inch wide and about one fourth (1/4)... of an inch deep, and the bars on the upper roll are preferably about one .atonrth (1/4) of an inch wide, and about one eighth (1/8) of an inch thick.

The grooves in the lower rolls of bank 5 are preferably about five sixteenths (5/16) of an inch Wide and about three sixteenths (3/16) of an inch deep or thick, and the bars on the upper rolls are preferably about three sixteenths (3/16) of an inch wide and about one eighth (1/8) of an inch deep or thick. grooves in the lower rolls of" bank 6 are preferably about seven thirtyseconds (7/32) of an inch wide and about .one eighth (1/8) of an inch deep or thick," and the bars on the upper rolls are referabl about one eighth (1/8) of an inc wide an aboutone eighth (1/8) of an inch thick. This graduation of the grooves and the bars operates to produce a thorough and effectual breakin' up of thejwoody covering of the stalks in its passage through the gang of rolls, and furthermore operates to draw the stalks. and the fiber through therolls. The dimensions of the grooves and the bars given apply particularly to the treatment of flax, but by proportionately increasing the dimensions given, stalksof jute, Indian 'hemp or ramie may be treated, deshived or decorticated with equal facility.

Proper; endless belts to feed the flax. or other plants or stalks and to deliver the treated article may be used as found advantageous.

- served.

F'ber thus treated is free from breaks and fractures, as I ment and the ulllength of the fiber is pre- Having thus fully described my inven- 4 tion, what I claim is:

p 1. ha machine of the class described a pair. of rolls, one of which is provided with iperipheral longitudinal.approximately rectangular or equilateral grooves, and theopposlte roll provided with peripheral longitudinal approximately rectangular orvequ1- jlateral bars of less width and depth than the aforesaid grooves.

2. In a machine of the class described a 3 pair of rolls, one of which is provided with eripheral longitudinal. rectangular or equiateral grooves having angular break ng surfaces at the outer ends of their side walls,

.and the opposite roll provided with peripheral longitudinal approximately rec- "l la-tangular or equilateral bars of less width "and depth than the aforesaid grooves and Having reaking surfaces on the outer edges of the bars.

3 .-j:. '-3.'j In a machine of the class described, a 9- ,plurality of airs of rolls, one roll of each pair provide withperipheral longitudinal f approximately rectangular or "equilateral grooves, and the oppositerollof each pair proximately rectangular or eguilateralba'rs 'mately rectangular or equilateral enerally occurs in its treat-l {provided with perlpheral longitudinal apv of less width and depth than the aforesaid grooves, and means for conducting mate rial from one bank of rolls to the next adjacent bank. 7 I

4, In a machine of the class described, two or more banks of rolls, each bank comprising a plurality of pairs of rolls, one roll in each pair having peripheral longitudinal approximately rectangular or equilateral grooves, and-the opposite roll in each pair having'peripheral longitudinal a proxiars of less Width and depth than :the aforesaid grooves, and means for propelling each bank of'rolls se arately.

5. In'a machine of the class described, two or more banks of rolls, each bank comprisinlgl aplurality of pairs of rolls, one roll of eac pair having peri heral longitudinal approximately rectangu ar or equilateral grooves, and the opposite roll of each pair having peripheral longitudinal a proximately rectangular or equilateral are of less width and depth than the aforesaid grooves, said grooves and said bars being graduated from the first bank of rolls to the last bank of rolls.

6. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of pairs of rolls, one of which rolls of each pair is provided with peripheral longitudmal grooves. having parallel depth than the aforesaid grooves and affording a substantial clearance on both sides and theend of said bars for the purpose described and an apron between each pair of rolls. 1

7. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of pairs of rolls, one roll ofeach pair being provided with perlpheral grooves aving breaking surfaces at the outer ends walls approximately at a right angle to the bottom of the grooves, and the opposite roll provided with barsof less width and 

